Red Soldier Beetle vs Columbia Tiger Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Red Soldier Beetle Columbia Tiger Beetle
Scientific Name Rhagonycha fulva Cicindela columbica
Order Coleoptera Coleoptera
Family Cantharidae Cicindelidae
Size 8-10 mm 1-1.5 cm
Habitat Underground Rivers & Streams
Diet Nectar Feeders Predators
Regions Europe United States
Conservation Least Concern Endangered

Red Soldier Beetle

A very common soldier beetle in Europe with orange-red elytra tipped in black. It is one of the most familiar beetles on hogweed and other umbellifer flowers.

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Did You Know?

In the UK it is commonly known as the bloodsucker beetle, though it is completely harmless to humans.

Columbia Tiger Beetle

A rare tiger beetle known from sandy riverbanks in the Pacific Northwest. It is an agile predator that chases down small insects on sand.

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Did You Know?

Tiger beetles are among the fastest insects relative to body size, running so fast they temporarily go blind.